Managing is caregiver stress is difficult even when everything going well, but when you’re caring for someone who is experiencing physical and mental decline, things can go from calm to crises in a heartbeat.  

A few years ago, my husband and were hiking in the Cascades. We stopped for a snack by a beautiful waterfall. As I sat enjoying the view and watching the river, I was mesmerized by how calm and still the water appeared as it approached the edge.  The moment it dropped over the rim, everything changed. It transformed into a magnificent display of crashing, splashing, chaotic energy.

The same may be true of caregivers. You may feel like you have everything under control. You are moving along fairly smoothly, and then something happens, and your situation tumbles out of control. 

As caregivers, we may not be aware of it, but just like water, the energy that is created by a crisis often changes and transforms us in beautiful and powerful ways.

Thought for the Day

"I trust that I will find the strength to do whatever has to be done. Believing in myself will help me manage my caregiver stress, think more clearly, and eventually reach a place of calm and peace."